Good point. But usually the cheerleaders don't tackle the opposing team's player.

GG;

Forgive the diversion but in my past life, attempting to test the veracity of people was a vital part of the job. it is difficult to do that without the benefit of body language. and if the perpetrator is conducting a farce by mail/email only then you do have to make a move to determine what the perp does next and like chess such moves help tell the story.

TOTV is an entirely different playing field and quite frankly the stakes not near as high for me. so I really don't care much if the person is telling the truth, a half truth. it is my way of saying I am not playing your game.
Many times I start out with "based on the fact you present" after reading your post perhaps i should start out every post with "based on the facts you present"

Personal best Regards>

If the opposing team is lucky, they do

Hi Cewards: In general I agree with what you say but I am not sure I understand your opening remarks "it doesn't take long to determine whose opinions concern you and whose you can ignore....????????


My practice is to read every post on a thread, sometimes some posts more than once. It isn't a matter of concern or agreement like or dislike, same old same old (same application). It is a matter of understanding. It is a matter of removing emotion and bias as best we can, and reaching pure thought before responding. And as to same old same old...same old same old can and often does take on a different meaning/result on different matters. I work hard at not dealing in absolutes so I am not prone to say I already know what XYZ poster is going to say because XYZ poster may have added or deleted something different/new to their opinion. Or in fact I have ignored XYZ posters comments so often i missed that XYZ stated......Shame on me

I have enjoyed your comments over the years

Personal Best Regards:

The thinned skin people are part of the melting pot, the thick skin people are part of the cultural stew. As for me, and you'll have to take my word on it, I'm just plain stocky.

A good person casts a decent shadow. That's what I say.

Good point! So let me be more specific about my first statement. I ignore those persons who try to tell me to be quiet about an issue that is important to me. Even more specifically, I read all their comments but I ignore their advice. Their attempt to suppress my thoughts just makes me want to express them all the more, so I do. Thankfully there aren't many on here who try to do that, but from past experience, when I see them I know them.

I'm a big fan of Steven Colbert.
“What does anybody want? Not to be alone. I think a performer gets on stage and says the things that are in his mind in his own particular way, to make a connection with the audience so he doesn’t feel so alone. And hopefully the audience feels the same way.”

Gems like the above quote resulted from a wonderful, insightful interview on the program “Witness” with a then-Colbearded Stephen and Fr. Thomas Rosica of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation. The interview, which occurred in April of this year, offers a deeper understanding into how Stephen juggles his work as a satirist/comedian with his Catholic faith.

I just watched this. I sure hope I'm not flip. By definition I am. I'm going to watch it again.

Cewards: Aah now that I understand. We do not have enough of individualism in this country today. I too like to be my own man. Again i work hard at not judging but pure thought for that exact reason and the only one I know who knows what lurks in the heart of man is the....Shadow

Personal Best Regards:

There have been posters here I truly have not liked and have hoped I would never meet in person. Some folks just ain't nice!

I know I try to stay balanced and get my point across (even in political) without denigrating an opposing view. Usually works unless you really hurt my feelings or are just downright mean to someone else. Then the white gloves get slipped into punching gloves but even then you'll usually still have to read between the lines to see how angry I am. Name calling is just sophomoric. As Sally has said, what we say here is here forever.

I won't dismiss a relatively new poster who disses a contractor, but I will watch the thread to see if others have also had bad experiences. The same goes with referrals. Even the best contractors have off days and the customer they can never satisfy.

I've also started threads that I knew would be contentious, such as the pain "drinking the Kool Aid" causes me. Even so, if it is important enough to my mind, I'm going to say it and not always as nicely as I should. Sometimes we just can't be kind, fair or balanced, especially when it is something that hits close to home.

I'm guessing, but is the answer X=Y/Z ?